This recipe from the Nonna’s Recipes series is my mother’s “tater soup” that she wrote down for my grandmother in 1980. At the time, my 22 year old mother was newly graduated from cosmetology school and a single mom. So it makes sense that this is poor folk comfort food that we likely had very often. This cheap, easy, and simple potato soup can be modified to include bacon, sausage, or even clams.
[Read the origin story of Nonna’s recipes here: Nonna’s Recipes]
Nonna’s handwritten and typed recipes salvaged from her home after Hurricane Laura in 2020 
My mother and I in 1980
Nonna’s Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 8 medium potatos chopped
- 3 sticks celery chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 can evaporated milk
- salt & white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cover chopped potatos with water (or chicken broth) and bring to a boil.
- Add chopped celery and onion. Cook until potatos are soft.
- Reduce heat and add evaporated milk (or buttermilk). Add salt & pepper to taste.
Optional
- Add cooked and chopped bacon, sausage, or clams.
The recipe, as my mother wrote it, came out very watery. So in the pinnable/printable recipe above, I reduced the water, as well as offered suggestions to make the soup richer. It was easy to make, but very bland as is. So, we added sausage to ours for an instant flavor enhancement! We also garnished with shredded cheese. It was pretty good comfort food I may make again in colder months.
For more in the series, click here: Nonna’s Recipes or follow the corresponding board on Pinterest.
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I’ve been making a potato leek soup for about 15 years or so. I start with two big leeks sliced and rinsed. Sauté in butter and add some fresh minced garlic. It adds a lot of flavor and is pretty inexpensive! (Then no onion) it also makes the soup a little green. potato soup is very versatile. I love your back story behind yours. 🖤
Thank you Erica! That sounds wonderful and could be perfect for adding more flavor to mine. It’s almost soup weather down here!